1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to media display systems, and, more particularly, to media frame assemblies, systems, and methods for displaying various types of media, in sheet form, on one or more surfaces in a quick, economical, and effective manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Advertisements using sheet media displayed to the public are frequently used to attract the public's attention When used on automobiles, buildings, appliances, and other billboards including mobile and stationary billboards. Furthermore, many companies have promotions that are short in duration Which leads to the need for an easy and efficient way to replace advertising medium on those display surfaces. Some attempts have been made to hold sheet media in framing systems.
In one example, U.S. Publication No. 20050235585 discloses a framing system for mounting sheet media. The framing system includes U-shaped channels, or lineals, having at least one external built-in groove for receiving a spline strip for holding an edge of the sheet media in place in the groove. A rectangular opening is defined by four lineals over which the sheet media is stretched and then secured in place by jamming its edges into the external spline grooves of the surrounding four lineals with the spline strips thereby holding the sheet in place. The lineals are held to the porch walls by universal fasteners. This framing system is not easy for installations in view of its configurational complexity.
In another example, U.S. Publication No. 20040128894 discloses a framing system for framing artwork, drawings, pictures and mounting the framed work on a surface. The framing system includes at least one frame member cooperating with a plurality of mounting elements to surround the work with the frame member(s) and mount the resultant framed work to a mounting surface. Each mounting element comprises a magnetic material and an adhesive material. The adhesive material is used to mount the resulting framed work to the surface by an adhesive bond between the mounting elements and the surface. The framing system provided herein does not allow for a greater tolerance in terms of margin of error for the installer and user thereby does not provide for a greater flexibility in terms of usage.
Next, U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,804 discloses an anchoring apparatus for anchoring and tensioning a sheet media on a panel structure, such as a billboard. The anchoring apparatus comprises of a preferred channel-shaped base member secured to the rear of the panel structure and includes a clip member slidably interconnected with the base member. This anchoring apparatus is complex in configuration and does not provide for an effective framing system capable of meeting the needs of the installer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,260,908 a system and method for forming sheet tabs for attaching sheet media on support structures, such as trucks, buildings, and billboards is disclosed. However this system requires that (i) the sheet media to be frame have retaining members stitched into the top and bottom edges of the sheet media, (ii) the frame assembly be mounted to the support structure in nearly the same dimensions as the sheet media, and (iii) the sheet media is only supported at the top and bottom, not along the left and right sides. Moreover the disclosed frame assembly has multiple pieces that must be fitted together resulting in greater installation time.
Similar to the '908 patent is U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,281 which discloses a system for mounting fabric signs. Although simpler to assemble and does allow the frame assembly to function as a visible border it still contains the disadvantages of requiring that (i) the sheet media to be frame have retaining members folded into the top and bottom edges of the sheet media, and (ii) the sheet media is only supported at the top and bottom, not along the left and right sides. In addition it has the distinct disadvantage that the frame assembly be mounted in exactly the same dimensions as the sheet media to be mounted. If the frames are mounted slightly too close together the sheet media will not be taut. Mount the frames slightly too far apart and the frames will have to be remounted.
In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system whereby the number of pieces that comprise the frame is at most two in order to simplify the assembly and mounting of sheet media.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system whereby the sheet media will not require any retaining members to be added to the edges of the sheet media.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system whereby the frame to mount the sheet media must be at most the same dimensions as the sheet media and if the sheet media needs to be cropped in order to fit within an allowable space for a particular surface the frame may be easily resized and provide a cutting guide to trim any excess sheet media.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a system that during the assembly process will provide a certain amount of self tensioning.
It is another object of the present invention to minimize the area of contact between the frame and the surface where it is to be mounted yet provide at least two different points of contact so as to accommodate surfaces with varying features present on the surface.
It is another object of the present invention to form the profile of the frame so as to allow for the usage of rivet nuts to increase the number of times different sheet media may be mounted onto the same frame.
Finally it is another object of the present invention to provide small channels on the frame to be used as guides for drilling machine screws and minimize any drifting of the machine screw during drilling.